SANTO DOMINGO.– The Codiano Institutional Committee (CIC) warned that the silence of the executive commission of Law No. 16-26 not only keeps hundreds of contractors in uncertainty, but is also worrying because that body is reviewing files involving billions of pesos in public funds.
Engineer Miguel Liberato, authorized spokesperson for the CIC, reported that due to the economic magnitude and public interest of the process, “we consider it essential that clear, verifiable and timely information be published, in order to strengthen confidence and avoid doubts or speculation about the transparency with which the evaluations are carried out.”.
He explained that, during a recent meeting, the Deputy Minister of the Treasury, Derby de los Santos, who represents the president of the executive commission, reported that this body meets every two weeks and, on some occasions, weekly, but that the results of these sessions are not communicated periodically to the beneficiaries of the law.
Liberato argues that the problem is not only that the commission is moving forward with its work, but that it is unknown which files have been examined and when the first payments to CIC contractors might begin.
They propose an Information and Transparency Protocol
In response to this situation, the contractors' spokesperson announced that they have submitted a proposal to the Minister of Finance and Economy for the commission to approve an Information and Transparency Protocol, intended to establish permanent, clear and verifiable communication mechanisms with potential state creditors.
The proposal includes the publication of periodic reports on meetings held, the number of files reviewed and validated, the amounts involved, and the creation of an official channel through which each contractor can find out the status of their file.
He demands transparency in the handling of public resources
“When large resources belonging to the Dominican people are at stake, providing information is not a voluntary gesture, but an obligation of transparency. Silence never strengthens trust; on the contrary, it generates doubts, rumors, and unnecessary speculation,” Liberato stated.
CIC highlights the situation of elderly contractors and affected families
He also noted that among the members of the CIC there are numerous contractors over 70 years old, sick people, and families of 14 members who died without receiving payment of their debts, which is why he insisted that timely information is not a concession, but an institutional duty and an expression of sensitivity.
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